2005-2009 Chevrolet C6 Corvette: History, Engine, Performance, and Features

Brand Development, Growth & Expansion
The 6th generation Chevrolet Corvette C6 began production in 2005, sporting a completely overhauled suspension system and all-new body. A total of 147,264 Corvette C6s manufactured between 2005 and 2008 at the Corvette plant in Bowling Green, Kentucky. The Cadillac XLR Roadster shares its platform with the new generation Corvette is now also being built at the plant in Kentucky.

Design & Technology
The Corvette C6 was offered with a 6.0L, LS2 V8 engine with 400 hp and
400 pound-feet of torque from 2005 to 2007. It has been offered as a
6.2L, LS3 V8 with 430 hp and 424 pound-feet of torque from 2007 till
the present. The C6 offered a 4-speed automatic in 2005 and a 6-speed
manual transmission beginning in 2005. The Corvette Z06, which
debuted in 2006, is a 2-door coupe with a 7.0L, LS7 V8 small-block
engine with 505 hp and a 6-speed manual transmission. The C6
automatic has a 0-60 time of 4.5 seconds which makes it the fastest
automatic Corvette to date.

In 2005 Chevrolet equipped the new C6 with the first fixed headlights
since the 1962 models. A convertible was added to the line up before
the end of the model year and there was no production on the Z06. In
2006 the Z06 debuted and 6-speed automatic transmission was offered
with a paddle shift on all models except the Z06. In 2008 the Corvette
saw a few minor upgrades. The LS3 was introduced in 2008 and leather
interior was offered as an option on the LT4 and the LZ3 models.

The C6 automatic gets 18 mpg in the city and 27 on the highway. The C6
manual transmission gets 18 mpg in the city and 28 on the highway. The
Corvette Z06 fuel economy is 15 mpg in the city and 24 on the highway.

The Corvette C6 sports a larger passenger compartment, tightened
steering, a new five-spoke wheel design and Computer Aided Gear
Selection (CAGS) on manual transmissions. The Z06 has titanium alloy
connecting rods and a dry sump oil system.